Deputy Clerk of Court

About us

The U.S. District Court for District of South Dakota was established in 1889 when the Dakota Territory was divided into North and South Dakota. The Court handles issues pertaining to federal law within the State of South Dakota and has courthouses in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Pierre, and Aberdeen.

The U.S. District Court consists of federal court chambers, a clerk’s office, and a probation and pretrial services office. The district has two Article III district judges, two senior district judges, and three full-time magistrate judges. Additionally, U.S. Probation has satellite offices in Eagle Butte, Kyle, McLaughlin, Mission, and Winner.

• Perform complex case management transactions such as opening and closing cases while ensuring the appropriate statistical data.
• Prepare and process appeals, warrants, subpoenas, notices, and form orders.
• Answer inquiries from attorneys as well as the public regarding case status and procedural rules.
• Act as a courtroom deputy for civil and criminal case proceedings.
• Assist with the orderly flow of proceedings including setting up the courtroom, assuring the presence of all necessary participants, and operating all courtroom technology equipment.
• Take notes of proceedings and rulings and prepare and docket minute entries.
• Communicate with outside agencies, counsel, and the public to facilitate orderly case management and case progression.
• Coordinate the presence of court reporters and court interpreters when needed.
• Serve as backup for magistrate judge scheduling by coordinating with various outside government agencies.
• Process attorney admission applications, prepare certificates, attend admission ceremonies, and maintain record of admitted attorneys.
• Assist with jury administration by processing juror summonses and assisting with jury selection/empanelment.
• Organize and arrange naturalization ceremonies. Representative duties include preparing programs, sending press releases, and attending ceremonies to assist as needed.
• Perform records management duties including requesting, maintaining, and returning records to the Federal Records Center, and filing and archiving documents using electronic imaging.
• Perform cashier functions as outlined in the Internal Control Manual.
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Travel to other locations within the district as required.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants must be a high school graduate (or equivalent) and possess at least two years of general experience.
• To qualify at a CL 25 – CL 26, applicants must possess the education and general experience stated above, plus a minimum of one-year specialized experience.
• To qualify at a CL 27, applicants must possess the education and general experience stated above, plus a minimum of two years specialized experience.
• General experience is considered progressively responsible clerical, office, or administrative work that provided an opportunity to gain specific knowledge and skills related to the functions of a deputy clerk.
• Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible clerical or administrative experience which includes regularly applying rules, regulations, directives, or laws in the workplace and routinely utilizing specialized terminology and automated software systems or equipment for word processing, data entry, and report generation. Such experience is typically found in law firms, legal counsel offices, banks, credit firms, educational institutions, social service organizations, insurance companies, real estate firms, or title companies.
• Excellent customer service and problem-solving skills with a high level of technical and computer aptitude is required. Able to communicate effectively (orally and in writing)
• Experience and knowledge with electronic case management systems and basic knowledge of federal and local guidelines is required

EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION

• Education above the high school level may be substituted for required general experience on the basis of one academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) equals one year of general experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A bachelor’s degree and previous legal experience is highly desired.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit the following to recruitment@sdd.uscourts.gov:

• Cover letter that supports your work experience as it relates to this position
• Resume that includes three (3) professional references
• Completed AO 78 Application for Judicial Branch – https://www.uscourts.gov/forms/human-resources-forms/application-judicial-branch-federal-employment
• All documents must be emailed in PDF format with “Vacancy 02-24” in the subject line to recruitment@sdd.uscourts.gov.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $47,996.00 – $94,338.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to Relocate:

• Sioux Falls, SD 57104: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person